Hall of Fame DE Doleman dies

Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman, who became one of the NFL’s most feared pass rushers during 15 seasons in the league, has died. The longtime Minnesota Vikings star was 58.

There was no word on the timing of Doleman’s death, but he had surgery in January 2018 to remove a brain tumor and Baker said he passed away “after a prolonged and courageous battle against cancer.”

“I had the honor of getting to know him not only as a great football player but an outstanding human being,” said David Baker, president and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “One of the honors of my life was witnessing Chris get baptized in the Jordan River during a Hall of Fame trip to Israel. The legacy of Chris Doleman will live forever in Canton, Ohio, for generations to learn from how he lived a life of courage and character.”

Doleman, an Indianapolis native, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.

Doleman played college ball for Pittsburgh before he was selected by Minnesota in the first round of the 1985 NFL draft. He spent his first nine seasons with the Vikings, collecting a league-high 21 sacks in 1989.

The 6-foot-5 Doleman also played for Atlanta and San Francisco before finishing his career with Minnesota in 1999. He had

150 1⁄2 sacks in 232 games. He was a first-team All-Pro selection on two occasions and made eight Pro Bowls.

ELSEWHERE

Browns: Newly hired Browns general manager Andrew Berry wasted no time in restructuring the team’s front office.

Parting ways with the Browns are assistant general manager Eliot Wolf and vice president of player personnel Alonzo Highsmith, a running back for the University of Miami in the mid-1980s, a person familiar with the Browns told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

College scouting director Steve Malin also has left the team, the source said.

Highsmith, who played six seasons in the NFL, has been linked to a possible job at UM.

“I wanted to go in a different direction because my philosophy on football is different from theirs,” Highsmith told ESPN. “I may go to Aruba, or go to the Masters. I’m going to take some time to do some fun stuff. I may also clean my garage, who knows.

“As far as football goes, I'll just have to wait to see what happens. I love all parts of the game.”